WWDD
Chapter 1
"Magnus, this was delivered for you," said Will, walking into his bosses study carrying a long rectangular cardboard box with a red ribbon tied elaborately around it. "There was no card with it," he explained, placing it down in front of her on her desk, hoping for a glimpse of whatever was inside.
"Thank you Will," said Magnus, pulling the box towards her and untying the ribbon.
She slid the lid of the box off the base and peeled back the tissue paper inside. There lay a dozen blood red roses. Literally.
"Um," uttered Will. "What is that?" he asked, staring into the box.
"These aren't red roses," murmured Magnus, transfixed by the sight in the box. "These are white roses, literally painted red, with blood."
They remained staring in silence at the horror inside the box.
Magnus crossed the entrance hall of the Sanctuary, engrossed in a file she was reading. A knock at the door caught her attention away from her work and she walked over to the front door.
"Helen, my dear, did you miss me?" asked Nikola Tesla, a huge grin plastered across his face.
"Nikola," she said with a smile, genuinely pleased to see her old friend.
He grabbed her in a hug before she could move or protest.
"Nikola, I wasn't expecting you, to what do I owe the pleasure this time?"
"You weren't expecting me? What are you talking about? Didn't you receive the flowers I sent you?"
"Flowers?" The temperature in the hall dropped and Tesla noticed his reception had turned decidedly chilly.
"Yes, roses," he admitted. "To ask you, ever so nicely, if I could stay for week or so. They did arrive?"
"They certainly did," she slapped him hard across the face.
"What was that for?" he asked amazed, what had he done this time?
"What the hell do you think you're playing at Nikola?" she demanded. "Sending me something like that. I suppose you thought it would be amusing."
Tesla stared at her open mouthed. He was having trouble working out what was wrong.
"I don't understand, it was just some flowers, it's never upset you before," he said genuinely hurt and confused.
Magnus softened at the wounded air about him.
"Blood, Nikola?"
"Blood?" He shook his head not understanding her meaning.
Magnus led him to her lab where she had been testing the blood which coated the roses to try and determine who it belonged to.
"Ahhh," said Tesla, understanding dawning on him. "I can assure you Helen, I sent twelve white roses and a card to beg for a room for a short stay. There was certainly no blood on them when they were sent."
"Then where did it come from? And to whom does it belong?" she asked him.
"That, is the question indeed."
Bigfoot stomped down the hallway nearly knocking Kate and Henry out of a window.
"What's got up his nose?" wondered Kate.
"Tesla threw him out of the kitchen," explained Henry. "He wants to make dinner for the Doc and said 'he couldn't work with abnormally hairy abnormals shedding in the food.' The Big guy would have to wear a whole body hair net if he wants back in the kitchen."
"Ouch."
"Yup."
"That Tesla really likes the Doc huh?"
"They go way back."
"You don't think that they... you know?"
"What? Ewww no. Ashley would freak out if that ever happened. I, would freak out if that ever happened."
"I wonder what vampires make for dinner?"
"Let's go see."
"Get out of my kitchen, genius at work and I must not be disturbed."
"We were just wondering what's for dinner?" asked Henry. "It smells good."
"Why don't you dial up one of those unholy pizza places and find out," snarked Tesla. "This is for Helen, you're not invited."
"What? No fair!"
That evening, Nikola led Magnus into the immaculately decorated dining room. Aware that Nikola had gone to a lot of trouble that evening, Magnus had dressed up for the occasion and was wearing a stunning black evening gown which complimented Nikola in his tuxedo perfectly. The room was illuminated by hundreds of candles placed all over the surfaces and the table was set for two. A very old bottle of wine, Magnus could have sworn she had hidden, was sitting in the wine cooler, waiting.
"This looks wonderful, Nikola."
He smiled happily, the effort had been worth it. Tesla pulled out Magnus' chair for her and she sat down.
"Thank you. What are we having for dinner?" she asked him.
He clapped his hands and Henry and Kate dressed in waiting jackets with towels draped over their arms walked in with Magnus' best silver dinner service covered with a silver cloche to keep the food warm.
"Canard a l'Orange, pommes dauphinois a petit pois."
"Duck, spuds and peas," translated Kate.
Tesla shot her a glare, it didn't sound very romantic or French when it was put like that. Magnus raised an eyebrow at the sight. How had he persuaded them to do this? Tesla sat down and the waiters set the plates down in front of the couple.
"Bon appetit," said Henry, and lifted the silver cover off Magnus' plate, Kate simultaneously doing the same for Tesla.
Magnus' chair shot backwards as she stood up staring at her plate in disgust.
"What the?" came Henry's response. "That wasn't there before!"
On Magnus' plate was a bloody heart, still steaming with warmth. Kate tentatively uncovered Tesla's plate. On it was a very dead, bloody pigeon.
"What are the chances that heart is a match to the blood on the roses?" said Magnus, very quietly.
She stormed out of the room, the warm heart in her hands, blood dripping down her dress and hurried down to her lab to run some tests on it.
"That's dinner ruined," said Tesla, in a huff.